NGO standing in petroleum pollution litigation in Nigeria—Centre for Oil Pollution Watch v Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

Abstract

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been at the forefront of securing environmental justice for the people of Nigeria’s Niger Delta suffering the effects of pollution arising from petroleum exploitation. Standing constraints have, however, limited NGOs’ abilities to access the courts to prevent or remedy pollution. This article analyses the recent decision of Nigeria’s Supreme Court in Center for Oil Pollution Watch v Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It finds that environmental NGOs, previously unable to institute action under existing public interest litigation procedures, can now institute action in their own rights to prevent or remedy environmental pollution in Nigeria.